Margaret Valette O’Connor made the cover of Irish Country Living Magazine, from the Farmer’s Journal, in January 2013 outlining the success of the cafe business, including Quigleys, Cafe Q and Quigleys Bakery & Deli.  Expanding from one shop in 1985 to 17 in 2013.

Farmer’s Journal
Irish Country Living
19 January 2013

Cover Feature
Recipes for Success

Aisling Hussey of Irish Country Living sits down with Margaret Valette O’Connor, the face of this month’s cover feature, to talk about Quigley’s Cafe, Bakery & Deli, the Irish bakery empire that she grew from one humble branch in Nenagh, Tipperary, and what is indeed her recipe for success. “If it’s not good enough for me to give to a friend, I won’t sell it over the counter,” Margaret reveals. “We had no plan and there was no miracle behind the success of Quigley’s. One thing I decided to do from the beginning was open our bakery on a Wednesday, which traditionally was a closed day in Nenagh town up until recently. We opened on a half-day and took in £50. I was having my kids at the time, so it was worth opening for the extra money.”

With decades of experience, Margaret makes it seem so simple but the brand’s success was definitely a result of her grit, vision and hard work. Together with her then-husband and business partner, Margaret saw beyond the one bakery shop that they took over from his parents and had an image of the bigger picture of what Quigley’s could become.

Margaret’s background in hospitality extends to her childhood, growing up in a Bed & Breakfast owned by her parents. Now reaping the learnings, the experience has equipped her with skills and perspectives that are critical to her own business. “My mother ran the B&B, while my father was manager of a supermarket. We all had that kind of work ethic. Back then you just rolled up your sleeves and got on with it. I also had a love of food from days spent picking apples on the family farm with my aunty.”

She recalls the turning point of Quigley’s expansion – the opening of their Limerick branch which was also their first branch outside of Nenagh. It would be their pioneer venture in the city centre and it did not come without challenges. A few weeks before opening, they found out that another coffee shop was opening across the road from their location. Barely started and already faced with direct competition, they remained steadfast and stood by their confidence in the brand. “We ended up building a very successful business in Limerick city. I remember sitting in the carpark thinking that I’d be there until I’d retire,” said Margaret.

With 17 stores nationwide, Margaret was asked what’s in store for Quigley’s to which she replies, “We might look into exporting our products, and I’ll be having a meeting with Enterprise Ireland to discuss the export market. I don’t know what it means or what it will do for our business at the moment, but we feel that [we’re well placed in] the Irish market. You need your team behind you. If you don’t have the right people, it’s not going to work. If you are courteous to your staff and your customers, you’ll go a long way,”